Eden Prairie pastor among those appointed to White House council

Blog Post by: $author

February 4, 2011 - 5:12 PM

The Rev. Leith Anderson, pastor of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie and president of the National Association of Evangelicals, has been appointed by President Barack Obama to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

The council brings together religious and secular leaders as well as scholars and experts in fields related to the work of faith-based and neighborhood organizations in order to make recommendations to the government on how to improve partnerships.

The president will announce additional members to this Council at a later date. Obama said in a news release Friday, “I am pleased to announce that these experienced and committed individuals have agreed to join this administration, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

Anderson’s bio on the release reads:

“Anderson is the President of the National Association of Evangelicals, an organization formed to facilitate Christian unity, public witness and cooperative ministry among evangelical denominations, congregations, educational institutions and service agencies in the United States. Anderson has also served as Senior Pastor at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota since 1977. Anderson is the host of the radio programs, “Faith Matters” and “Faith Minute,” which are broadcast in cities across the country. Anderson holds a B.A. in Sociology from Bradley University, an M.Div. from Denver Seminary, a D.Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a D.Div. from Cornerstone University.”

The rest of the appointees are:

Susan Stern, who currently serves as Special Advisor on Government Affairs to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), which is a humanitarian assistance organization helping Jews and non Jews in Israel and in more than seventy countries around the world.

Andrea Bazán, president of Triangle Community Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to building a prosperous and culturally rich region across North Carolina.

Angela Glover Blackwell, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Policy Link, a nonprofit organization that strives to advance economic and social equity, improving access and opportunity for all low-income people and communities of color, particularly in the areas of health, housing, transportation, education and infrastructure.

Brian Gallagher, currently the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Way Worldwide.

Bishop Mark Hanson, the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Lynne Hybels, co-founder and Advocate for Global Engagement at the Willow Creek Community Church, a religious organization committed to maximizing individual life-transformation as well as encouraging effective leadership of local churches.

The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, where she serves as Chief Pastor and Primate to the Episcopal Church’s members in 16 countries and 110 dioceses.

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, the Executive Vice President of the Rabbinical Assembly, the international association of Conservative and Masorti Rabbis, founded in 1901.

Archbishop Demetrios Trakatellis, currently the Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of America, the Exarch (plenipotentiary representative) of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in the U.S.A., and the permanent President of the Assembly of 65 canonical Orthodox Bishops in North and Central America.

Sister Marlene Weisenbeck, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Reverend Elder Nancy L. Wilson, currently the Moderator (Global Leader) for the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches which has hundreds of churches in 38 countries.